Feb 02 2009
Snow fun!
Today Guernsey has seen it’s heaviest snow fall in approximately 18 years. The BBC has been taken over by stories about snow in the UK and facebook seems to be clogged up with students and workers taking the day off.
It would appear, however, that not everyone is happy with the snow. Several news reports have included people grumbling about how the country wasn’t prepared.
Whilst I agree that the Met office was forecasting snow and therefore the gritters could have been out earlier but you can’t get them out too early or the melting snow will wash the salt off or, if it’s dry, the salt will be blown off.
In terms of snow ploughs, you need a significant amount of snow in order to prevent damage to the roads. The same for snow chains or studded tyres, if the isn’t a layer of ice the Tarmac gets shredded and then the same people will be complaining about the quality of the road surface.
With regards trains, the main problem, as far as I’m aware, is freezing points. It is possible to upgrade all the points but, again, is it worth it for an event that happens every 10-15 years? It is potentially possible to do it during a planned maintenance cycle. However I suspect the are more pressing matters for the money to be spent on.
Quite frankly, I enjoy the snow and work doesn’t rule my life so much that I panic and get frustrated just because I can’t get to the office. I also noticed today that people out walking were actually more pleasant to each other. Even 4×4 drivers were offering people walking a lift!
i’ve been resisting the urge all day to post somewhere that 10cms of snow is nothing and i just can’t stop myself from saying it now.
i agree that it seems too much effort to prepare for something that happens one every decade or so. chains on tyres seems a bit much considering that i drive my toyota yaris to work every day in at least twice as much snow. granted we have ploughs and such though as we get this kinda weather all the time.
even though we have snow here i wish i were back in guernsey to experience it with everyone as it seems so much more magical when it’s there.